The sour cherries in this Armenian-style muraba, or preserve, won’t make your face pucker. The recipe comes from writer Mariam Vahradyan’s grandmother, who uses this style of preserving for a variety of ripe summer fruits. The cherries are gently boiled and allowed to cool several times to concentrate their flavor and produce a translucent ruby-red syrup. The glossy candied fruits and syrup can be stirred into tea, poured over ice cream, or served on their own as a not-too-sweet, not-too-tart dessert. Whether you plan to store the preserves long-term, or simply keep them in the refrigerator, you should always thoroughly sanitize your lids and jars first.
Featured in “Sour Cherries and the Trouble With Letting Go.”
Ingredients
- 5 cups sugar
- 7 cups ripe sour cherries, pitted
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the sugar until well combined. Add the cherries and bring back to a boil. Turn the heat to medium and boil gently, stirring occasionally and using a skimmer to remove and discard any gray froth that gathers on top, for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside until the mixture cools to room temperature, about 45 minutes. Repeat the boiling, skimming, and cooling process another four times, until the liquid is syrupy and the cherries are glossy. Stir in the lemon juice until combined.
- Using a funnel or ladle, fill four sterilized, dried 8-ounce jars with the preserve, stopping ¼ inch from the rim. Using a clean kitchen towel, wipe the rims. Top with the lids, then tightly screw on the ring bands. Invert the jars for 2 minutes, then flip right side up. Set aside undisturbed for 24 hours; if canned properly, a vacuum seal will form. (The preserve will keep in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.) Alternatively, set the preserve aside to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
The post Bali Muraba (Sour Cherry Preserve) appeared first on Saveur.
